Grooming the Akita’s coat is not difficult, but it does require regular attention. Thorough combing and brushing should be done at least twice a week, taking care to remove all loose hair from the coat. The Akita will usually cast his coat twice a year. During this time, he will need grooming every day to keep up with the great hair loss.
There will be ab enormous amount of undercoat in a properly coated dog, and this will need to be pulled out with a special rake-like tool designed for that purpose.
We would recommend a good warm bath at the beginning of the shedding process, as this loosens the coat, thus enabling you to remove dead hair more speedily. If the undercoat is not removed, it will cause skin irritation that can lead to ongoing skin problems.
Although the Akita’s coat is too harsh to mat and tangle, as will the coats of other double-coated breeds, it is important to remove dead hair on a regular basis and never let the coat become stuck together with dead hair.
Coat length and density can vary tremendously. The “long coats” probably came from the Chow Chow, and although not accepted in the show ring, they make wonderfully impressive pets.
Long coated Akitas can mat and will require combing out more often simply due to the softness, extra length and fullness of the coat. Make certain that the dog is dry to the skin, as dampness left in the coat can lead to the development of eczema, which is an uncomfortable skin irritation like a heat rash.
Dampness under the throat, on the chest or on the back where the tail rests can often lead to what are commonly called “hot spots”.
With either coat type, it is also advisable to bathe again at the end of the shedding period as it will speed up the reappearance of a new, healthy, shiny coat with vibrant color.
Oddly, as the coat begins to die out, the color will become pale and dull. The loss of thick hair on the legs can also make your Akita appear to be “fine-boned”, and shedding also can detract from his big full “bottle-brush” tail.
Bathing and Drying the Coat
When bathing the Akita, be sure to use a gentle shampoo that will not cause irritation, taking extreme care in rinsing thoroughly all shampoo from the coat. Do remember to insert cotton balls into the ears to protect them from the water, and to remove them afterwards.
Be very careful when bathing the head, so as not to allow any soap or water to get into the eyes. In fact, a tearless “baby” shampoo is an excellent choice for washing the head. Even with the cotton ball in the ears, be very careful when rinsing or you will cause the dog to shake violently if water trickles into the ear canal – and you will have been rinsed as well! Wearing a waterproof apron or rain gear is a good idea.
After bathing the coat, we recommend that you dry your Akita with a blow dryer set on low. This will not only dry the coat right down to the skin but it also will blast dead and unwanted coat away. Using a pin brush, you should lift and separate the coat as you work through it with the hair dryer so that each hair is thoroughly dry.
This too will speed the drying process and help to train the coat to stand up and away from the body, as is proper for the breed. When finished, dry brush the coat thoroughly, remembering that you should lift the Akita’s coat and make it stand off the body while brushing.
